1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for personal cleaning and, more particularly, to a scraper device for removing undesired matter from a user's tongue and, even more particularly, the invention relates to a scraper and tongue-treating device for removing plaque and debris from the tongue in order to prevent halitosis and for applying a treating substance onto the tongue.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Halitosis is a concern for many people affected of this disorder that is chronic or pathological disorder stemming from non-oral sources as well as oral sources. Studies have shown that about 85% patients suffering from halitosis have an oral condition as the source. Measures of oral malodor suggest that it is caused mainly by tongue coating as the result of anaerobic sulfur producing bacteria, which normally live within the tongue. This bacteria is supposed to be there because they assist digestion by breaking down proteins found in specific foods, mucus, blood and death cells. Under certain conditions, they start to break down the proteins found in those specific foods.
Tongue coating comprises desquamated epithelial cells, blood cells, bacteria and mucus. The morphology of the dorsal surface of the tongue is very irregular with the presence of multiple fissures and filiform and fungiform papillae. These fissures and crypts may create a unique ecological site were microorganisms are well-protected from the flushing action of the saliva and where oxygen levels are low enhancing the growth of anaerobic bacteria. Saliva from nearby glands drips down on the posterior region of the tongue, which is full of irregularities. The bacteria on the tongue are also a potential contributor to periodontal disease and other oral health problems. This coating on the tongue also causes a loss of taste since it dulls the taste receptors.
The anaerobic bacteria break down specific components of the coating of the tongue creating certain gases or volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). These VSCs have been implicated as a major contributing factor to halitosis. Consequently, the removal of the tongue coating reduces VSCs production and longer lasting reductions in VSC levels are followed after tongue scraping. Methods that involved cleansing of the dorsoposterior surface of the tongue caused the most pronounced reductions of halitosis.
Many instruments have been developed and manufactured for removing debris and plaque from the tongue, these instruments comprising a tongue cleaning with a scraping portion having a blade designed to be passed onto the upper surface of the tongue to scrape the matter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,308 to Thakur et al. discloses a tongue scraping apparatus having a curved blade and a pair of elongated handles, the blade including a relatively sharp lower edge, an opposed smooth upper edge, and opposed front and back faces. When using this apparatus in cleaning the upper surface of a tongue, the matter scraping from the tongue of a user is accumulated against the front face reaching the upper edge and passing in some cases over the upper edge to fall, by the back face, onto the surface of the tongue what is a very disgusting situation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,089 to Goldberg discloses an improved tongue cleaner having a U-shaped scraper portion and handle portions integrally formed, with the scraper portion having a flange projected perpendicularly from an inner face of the scraper portion. The flange forms a corner space or a barrier in the inner face for containing matter scraped from the user's tongue.
While Goldberg has addressed the problem of the matter passing over the upper edge of the scraping blade, the provision of a simple flange does not solve the problem as it would be desired. In addition, the scrapers of Goldberg and Thakur lack any means for containing and applying a substance, such as a gel, onto the tongue's surface for treating purposes.